Hip Hop Dance Schools

Hip hop dance schools as such don't really exist in many places. As the dance form grows from urban art form to an international phenomenon there are more and more classes offered. Where a few years ago it was hard to find any classes anywhere, today there are hit TV shows like America's Best Dance Crew that celebrate the growth and talent that hip hop has developed.

This popularity of hip hop is a bit of a double-edged sword, however. Hip hop has a very definite ancestry rooted in the traditions of James Brown and R&B music. It also is inextricably tied to the graffiti artists, the rappers, and the DJ's who all combined to develop their forms together. These are things that go far beyond the basic movements involved in hip hop, and people who are familiar with and acknowledge the part they play in hip hop dance classes make the best teachers. However, the grass-roots nature of its development doesn't lend itself to a school structure. A few experiments, like Groove Nation in Vancouver, Washington, are paving the way with a solid grounding in the roots of hip hop.

But many dance teachers simply see it as a movement form, pure and simple, They reduce it to the type of labanotative motion set to specific counts and beats and assume that they can then teach the form. And they may be right; really good dance teachers teaching very talented dancers can create pieces that are indistinguishable from the best hip hop dancers in the world.

But to the discerning eye, even these pure dancers will be missing something of the attitude, the flair of movement that the true b-boys and b-girls bring to their dance. So the question would be, how does one find something like truly authentic hip hop dance schools?

While there are certainly websites that offer dance classes through online videos, these are probably the least effective classes to take. The problem is not in the material itself – often that is of very high quality, and some very fine artists have also created DVDs that can be rented or bought. Usually the quality of a DVD or website can be easily found through the comments on the site or through a reviewing website. The problem lies through the lack of feedback from the teacher as you learn hip hop dance.

But the internet can also be used to find dance classes in your area, wherever you live. The first step is not to do a google search for "hip hop dance classes" with your city in it. That will show many dance studios that claim to have hip hop in the curriculum, and a few of them might actually teach quality classes – but there's no way to tell through google ads. All they will tell you is what is available (or perhaps which dance studio has the biggest advertising budget).

No, the thing to search for is community bulletin boards, the current events at parks, the club announcements at local bars. MySpace, Facebook, and Tribe.net all have interests combined with areas of the country. Look for blogs about the subject you like, and after joining these social groups, begin getting to know the people online, commenting as they share videos, pictures, and stories.

That is also where you can ask where local groups meet, or what teachers are best (as well as which are to be avoided). The benefit of a group is that you do not have to base your choice on one opinion – but can get a sense of what is available in your area.

One of the great advantages to taking hip hop classes is that there is no real barrier to entry in terms of equipment. Loose-fitting pants like sweats and cargo pants, combined with some sort of tank top (usually with a hoodie or loose shirt covering it) are all that's necessary. The key is ease of movement, as well as durability. With floorwork and popping and locking and moves that require great range of motion, the demands on the outfits can be quite destructive. Often hats are included in many moves, or skullcaps used to protect the head when more advanced moves like headspins are tried. Knee and elbow pads might be useful, but not necessary for beginning classes. Finally, the shoes are usually as simple as flat-soled sneakers – while "official" hip hop dance sneakers exist, it can be assured that the b-boys of the inner city were not using them.

Wherever and whoever you learn from, your classes should be, above all, fun - and by taking some time to research them before joining can guarantee a more fulfilling experience.

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